Selective piano-player mechanism.



F. R. GOOLMAN. SELECTIVE PIANO PLAYER MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2, 1912, 1,090,706. Patented Mar.17,1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Shadow Goo/mao Fred P. R. GOOLMAN.

SELECTIVE PIANO PLAYER MECHANISM.

APPLIOAIIION FILED 1030.2 1912 1,090,706. Patented Mar.1'7,1914..

4 8HEBT8SHEET 2.

/ vwemtoi Fred 1? Goo/waz I ;uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuw' F.R. GOOLMAN.

SELECTIVE PIANO PLAYER MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2, 1912.

r 1,090,706. Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

.24 5 V L f 4 3 t J 7L4 is 6 Z 1 fig I 2,3 27

Fred 300/; 41

' I "Hm/(Er F. R. GOOLMAN. SELECTIVE PIANO PLAYER MECHANISM.

I APPLICATION FILED D1102, 1912. I 1,()9Q,7Q6 Patented Mar; 17, 1914.

4 SHBETB-SHBET 4.

QQQQQQQ 0/6/75/2. lid/ 0 \5 017? Q WITNESSES:

[NYE/(TOR r? fizz; Goohm M ,4; Arron/(Er STATES PATENT ornron FRED R.GOOLMAN F BINGHAMTON, NEW'YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HARRIS PLAYER PIANO COMPANY,OF IBINGHAMTON, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SELECTIVE PIANO-JLAYER MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRED R. GooLMAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Binghamton, in the county ofBroome and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Selective Piano-Player Mechanism, of which the followingis a specification;

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inmechanical piano player mechanisms, and has for its primary object toprovide a mechanism of this character which embodies novel features ofconstruction whereby the character of music being played can beinstantly changed without the necessity of manually removing orreplacing the perforated music sheet in the usual manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which is comparatively simple and inexpenslve 1n itsconstruction, which is positive and reliable in its operation, whichgives a considerable latitude in the selection of music, and whichrequires but little care and attention on the part of the operator.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certainnovel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fullyappear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof beingpointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is-to be had to thefollow ing description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is atop plan View of two of the player units. Fig. 2 is a transversesectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken at apoint between two of the units, showing one of said units in-elevat ion.Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation showing the connection between the ductbridge and the vacuum pipes. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation illustratingthe position of the various parts when the unit isout of action, andFig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the means for controlling the variousplayer units. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the spring connection withthe rock shaft.

Corresponding and like parts are referred Patented Mar. 1'7, 1914.

Application filed December 2, 1912. Serial No. 734,536.

units are provided, each player unit including its own music sheet andduct bridge, any selected one of the player units being adapted to bebrought into action and the remaining player unts simultaneouslyrendered inoperative.

Specifically describing the present embodiment of the invention, thenumeral 1 designates the main frame upon which the mechanism is mounted.The various independent player units are each mounted upon a small frame2 which is adapted to be secured to the main frame 1. Suitably mountedupon each of the small frames 2 of the variousindividual player units isa duct bridge 3,- and leading from the several duct bridges to somesuitable form of playing mechanism are the usual tubes 4. Journ'aledupon one side of each of theduct bridges 3 1s a flanged guide roller 5,and jourraled upon the opposite side of each of the duct bridges is afiangedfeed roller 6, the perforated music sheets 7 being-adapted topass over the duct bridges 3 and the flanged rollers 5 and 6, and to bepositively drawn across the duct bridges by rotation of the feed rollers6. A presser roller 8 bears yieldingly against each of the feed rollers6 so .as to hold the music sheet '7 in a frictional engagement with thefeed roller and prevent any possibility of an improper feed of the sheetmusic due to slipping of the feed roller with respect thereto. Thepresser rollers 8 are shown as journaled between the swinging arms 9,the said swinging arms 9 being connected by a transverse rod 10 whichisengaged by a spring ll. This spring 11 forces the presser rolleryieldingly toward the feed roller so as to grip the sheet musicsecurelybetween the rollers and .in-

sure a proper feedin'g'of the sheet music when the feed roller isdriven. The sheetmusic 7 may be-of any suitable or approvedconstruction, and in the present instance the ends thereof are connectedso as to form a: continuous web, a flanged spool 12 resting loosely inthe lower end of the web and being supported thereby so as to retain thependent portion of the Web in a slightly stretched condition and insurea proper feeding thereof. i

Arranged opposite the duct bridge 3 of each of the independent playerunits is a duct-closing damper or valve member 13,

the said valves being shown as carried by swinging arms 14 which arepivoted upon the standards 15. An arm 16 projects longitudinally fromone end. of each of the duct closing valves 13 and is connected by alink 17 to one end of a lever 18 which is pivoted as to swing therespective lever 18 about its pivot 19, the link 17 will be pushedupward so as to move the duct closing valve 13 away from the duct'bridgeand into an inoperative position.

A main standard 21 is provided for each of the individual player frames2, the shafts 22 upon which the various feed rollers 6 are mounted beingextended'beyond the ends of the feed rollers and journaled in the saidmain standards. A drive wheel 23 is loose upon each .of the shafts 22,the said drive wheelsbeing shown in the present instance as retainedagainst longitudinal movement upon the said shafts, by means of thefingers 24 which are carried by the main standards and project looselyinto annular grooves 25 in the hubportions of the drive wheels. Thevarious drive wheels 23 are adapted to be driven continuously in somesuitable. manner as by means of the chain 26, and a clutch mechanism 27is'provided for each of the drive wheels whereby any selected one of thedrive wheels can be locked with the respective shaft 22 of the feedroller 6. The various clutch devices 27 are controlled by the levers 28which are pivoted at intermediate points in' their length as indicatedat 29 upon the lower brackets 30 which-project from the main standards21. Springs 31. are connected to the upper arms of the levers 28 andnormally tend to swing the said levers to throw the clutch members 27into inoperative positions.

An upper bracket 32 projects from each of the main standards 21 over thelower bracket 30, and mounted upon each of the upper brackets is adetent or pawl 33 which is adapted to engage the upper end of the clutchcontrolling lever 28 to hold the said lever against the action of thespring31 and retain the clutch mechanism 27 in an operative position.Each of the detents 33 is provided with an upwardly projecting arm 31which is connected by a link 35 to an upwardly projecting arm 36 on arock shaft 37. This rock shaft 37 is common to all of the variousindependent player units and, is.

pawls 33 are locked together in such a man ner as to be simultaneouslyoperated. A spring 57 which is connected to an arm 58 of the rock shaftnormally tends to rotate the rock shaft to hold the detent-s 33yieldingly in operative position.

A pneumatic 38 is mounted upon each of the main standards 21, thevarious pneumatics being provided with perforated ears 39 which receivethe outer ends of rods 40 and are adapted to abut against the shoulders41 upon the said rods to produce a thrust or longitudinal movementthereof when the pneumatic is operated. The opposite ends of the rods 10are connected to the upper ends of the clutch controlling levers 28 sothat when one of the pneumatics 38 is operated, the thrust upon the'rod40 it will be observed that the clutch controlling lever 28 is providedat an intermediate point in the length thereof with a lateral arm 28which is connected to the push rod or link 20, so that the lever 18 isoperated to lift the duct closing valve 13 at the same time that theclutch mechanism 27 is thrown into operative posit-ion.

The operation iof the pneumatic 38 produces a greater movement of theclutch controlling lever 28 than is required to render the clutchmechanism 27 operative and lift the duct closing valve 13. Thisadditional or surplus movement of the clutch controlling lever 28 bringsthe same into engagement with a downwardly projecting finger 42 upon therock shaft 37 so as to produce a rotary movement of the said rock shaftand simultaneously lift all of the detents 33 into an inoperativeposition. Any one of the clutch controlling levers 28 which maypreviously have been locked in an operative position by engagement withone of the detents 33 will then be released, so as to shut off or renderinoperative all of the player units, with the exception of that onewhich has been thrown into action by the operation of its pneumatic Theaction of the pneumatic 38 is only momentary and as soon as thepneiunatic is rendered inoperative, the spring 31 will draw the upperend of the clutch controlling lever 28 back 43 lead to the respectivepneumatics 38.

A valve 44: is interposed in the lengthofeach of the branch pipes 43,.each*of thesaid valves being shownhas ha-ving' an operative connectionwith the -armat-ure..4c5 of an electro-magnet 46 so asto be:automatically opened when the electro-magnet is energized. Any suitablemeans may be provided for energizing selected onesof the electro-magnets4:6. A'b attery 48 or other suitable source of -.electricsupply is provided, one of the terminals'of-the battery being connected by a ivire4:9 to a conductor 50 While theopposite terminal of the bats tery isconnected byga Wire 51-toa conductor 52. One of the terminals ofieachaofthe electro-magnets 46 1s connectedby a Wire 53 to a conductor 52,.theopposite. terminal of each of vthe electro-magnetsbeing connectcdby aWire 54: to one of theterminals of a suitable circuit closer55. Theother terminals of the circuit closers 55 are we nected by the Wires 56to the fconduct'or'50. It will thus be obvious that-When, any se-.-:

lected one .of the circuit closers, 55 is operated, the correspondingelectro-magnet 46.

will be energized so as toopen the valve 44 and momentarily actuate thepneumatic 38 of the corresponding player ,unit. As has been previouslydescribed, this particular player unit Will be therebyiplaced inoperation and all of the remaining player unitsS1I11llltt11'l60llSly'='Slllllj off or rendered inoperative. One of thecircuit close-rs 55 i would .be' provided foreach ofthe 'inde pendentplayer units, audit will obvious that the number oi player unitsemployed may be multiplied-indefinitely, according to the number ofmusical selections which it is necessary or desirable to have availablefor instantaneous production, The charac-'- ter of the music or thetitle of-t-he-piece adapted to be played by each of the independentplayer unitsmight besetforth in tabular form by suitable charactersarranged opposite the various circuit closers 55, as indicated at 56. i

This player piano mechanism is well adapted for use as an accompanimentin connection with moving pictures, since the character of-the musicalcomposition being played can be instantly changed atanytiine',

and by having a suitable numberlof independent player un1ts,.a, largevariety: of. musical compositions are rendered ava lable to theoperator. By operating-selected ones of the circuit closers 55, any oneof the comositions can be produced, and the'character of the music canbe instantly changed -.=as-

often as may be required by the changing character of'the movingpicturefilm; -'A

switchboard containing the various,circuit closers 55 could be veryreadilydoqated adjacent the moving picture vmachine'so'as to be;manipulated by the moving picture 0p;

for instantly stopping the erator. It Will also be obvious that themecha'ni'smis Well adapted for use in connectionWlth=COlI1-COI1CIOll6tldW1C8S, since it enables the "operator to selectany desired piece, and to change the pieces at any time and as often asmay be desired.

' Havingthus described the invention, What I claim as new and-desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is: e y y y 1. piano playermechanis'mincluding means for maintaining a plurality of independent notesheets'in operative position at all times, and'selective mechanism coni-A prising means'for causing any one oft-he" vnote sheets to beinstantly. started to play and. to simultaneouslyand instantly arrestthe play oit' any other note sheet in action; 2.: A piano playermechanism including mechanical means for simultaneously maintaming aplurality of independent note sheets in operative position at all times,selectivemeans for causing any -one"off.the note sheets to be;instantlyplayed, and means actuatedbyfthe said selectivemeans other notesheet in ttCll01L- I 3. A piano player mechanism including a series ofindependent player units eachof which has its own note sheet and ductbridge, selective means for causing any 'one playing of any '05 of thenote sheets=to be instantly played, and means actuated by the saidselective means for instantly stopping theplayin'g of any other notesheet in action.

4. A piano playermechanism" including a series of independent'pla yerunits each of which is provided With its own note sheet and duct bridge,a ductclosing valve for each of the duct bridges,-selective means forbringing any one of. the player units into action and opening the. ductclosing bridge thereofiand means actuated by the sai y lective means forautomatically shutting off any of the other playernnits which may havebeen in action'and closing the duct closing'valves thereof. Y

for automatically and simultaneously [shut ting ott any-of the otherplayerunits which -m'ay have'previot'lsly been in action.

(3.; A piano, player mechanism including a series of independent playerunits each of 'whichis-p'rovided .vvith'its own note sheet andduct-bridge, duct closing valves forthe duct bridges, independentdriving elements for each ofthe units, clutch means controlling thedriving elements; selective means for operating the clutch of any unitand simultaneously operating the duct closing valve thereof, and meansactuatedby the said selective means for automatically shutting off anyof the player units which may have been previously in action and closingthe duct closing valves thereof.

7. A piano player mechanism including a series of independent playerunits each of which is formed with a duct bridge and an endless notesheet which is always in operative position upon the duct bridge,selective means for instantly bringing any one of the note sheets intoaction regardless of their position on their respective duct bridges,and means actuated by the said selective means for simultaneouslyshutting off any of the other units at any point in their playing whichmay have previously been in action.

8. A piano player mechanism including a series of independent playerunits each of which has its own "luct bridge and an endless note sheetwhi an is always in operative position thereon, a duct closing valve forthe duct bridge of each player unit, inde pendent driving elements foreach of the units, clutch means controlling the driving elements,selective means for actuating the clutch means to bring any one of theplayer units instantly into action and opening the duct closing valvethereof, and means actuated by the said selective means forsimultaneously shutting oil the other player units and closing the ductclosing valves thereof.

9. A piano player mechanism including a series of independent playerunits in operative position at all times each of which is providedwithits own music sheet and duct bridge, a ductclosing valve for each ofthe duct bridges, independent driving elements for the units, clutchescontrolling the driving elements, and levers having operativeconnections with both the clutches and the duct closing valves so thatany selected one of the clutches can be thrown into operative positionand the corresponding duct closing valve simultaneously opened.

10. A piano player mechanism including a series of independent playerunits, independent driving elements for each of the units, clutches forcontrolling the driving elements, levers for 1he clutches, detentsadapted to engage the levers to hold the clutches in operative position,and means for releasing all of the detents when any selected one of thelevers is manipulated to throw a particular one of the player units intoaction;

11. A piano player mechanism inchuling a series of independent playerunits, independent driving elen'icnls for each of the units, clutchescontrolling the driving cleinenls, levers having O}")0|'1\l1l\'(3connections with the clutches, detents for engaging the levers to holdthe clutches in operative positions, a rock shaft, an operativeconnection between the rock shaft and the various detents, and meanswhereby the rock shaft is actuated when any selected one of the leversis moved to bring one of the player units into action, the movement ofthe rock shaft serving to release all of the other detents.

12. A piano player mechanism'including a series of independent playerunits, independent driving elements for the units, clutch means forcontrolling the driving elements, levers having operative connectionswith the clutch means, detents for engaging the levers to hold the samein operative position, a rock shaft provided with fingers adapted tobeengaged by the levers when the latter are actuated, and an operativeconnection between the rock shaft and the detents whereby all of thedetents are moved into inoperative osition when a selected one of thelovers is operated to bring one of the player units into action.

13. A piano player mechanism including a series of independent playerunits, independent driving elements for the units, normally inoperativeclutch means for controlling the driving elements, levers havingoperative connections with the clutch means, detents for engaging thelevers to hold the same in operative position, independent units,operative connections between thevarious pneumatics and the clutchcontrolling levers, a rock shaft common to all of the player units andhaving an operative connection with the various detents, and meanswhereby the rock shaft is moved when any one of the levers is operatedby its pneumatic, the movement of the lever serving to move the detentsto release the remaining levers.

15. A piano player mechanism including a series of independent playerunits each of which is provided with its own music sheet and ductbridge, normally closed duct closing valves for the duct bridges,independent pneumatics for the player units, and means actuated by eachof the pneumatics 'for throwing the respectiye player unitfinto' actionand op ening, the ductclosing valvethereof. 7 7,? 1. I, 16. A pianoplayer mechanismzincluding a series of independent playerunits each twhich isprovided with its own music sheet for throwing the correspondingplayer unit.

into action and opening the"'duct closing valve thereof, .and means alsoactuated by each of the pneumatics for rendering all of the other player,units inoperative.

17. A .piano player mechanism including a series of independent playerunits each of which is provided with its own music sheet and ductbridge, independent driving elements for the units, clutches controllingthe driving elements, levers having operative connections with theclutches, normally closed duct closing valves for the duct bridges,operative connections between the clutch controlling levers and the ductclosing valves, means for moving any one of the levers to close theclutch of the player unit and open the duct closing valve thereof, andmeans actuated by the movement of the said lever for rendering all ofthe remaining player units inoperative.

18. A piano player mechanism including a series of independent playerunits each of which is provided with its own music sheet and ductbridge, normally closed duct closing valves for the duct bridges,independent driving elements for the player units, clutches controllingthe driving elements,'levers having operative connections with theclutch means, operative connections between the clutch controllinglevers and the duct closing valves, detents for engaging the levers tohold the clutches in operative position, a rock shaft, anoperativeconnection between the rock shaft and the various detcnts,means for moving any selected one of the clutch controlling levers toclose the respective clutch and open the duct closing valve of theplayer unit, and means actuated by the movement of any one of the clutchcontrolling levers tar rotating the rock shaft and'moving the uetentstorelease the clutch controlling levers of the other player units. 19. Apiano player mechanism including a series of independent player unitseach of which is provided with its own music sheet and duct bridge,normally closed duct closing valves for the duct bridges, independentdriving elements for the player units, normally inoperative clutchescontrolling the driving elements, levers having operative connectionswith the clutches and formed with lateral arms, operativeconnectionsbetween the said lateral arms of the levers and the detentsz for holdingthe levers inoperative position, selective means formoving any one ofthe levers lnt Q operativeh position -to close the. correspondingclutchand. open the duct closing valve of the fparticularplayer unit, andmeans actuated loyythe movements 'of any one of the clutch controllinglevers for-releasing the detents of the clutch controlling levers of theother, Player units. ,7

20. A piano player mechanism including a series--of-indpendent playerunits each of which is provided with its own music sheet and ductbridge, independent driving elements for the player units, normallyinoperative clutches controlling the driving elments, ..normally closedduct closingvalves for the duct bridges, levers controlling the ductclosing valves, clutch controlling levers I having operative connectionwith the clutches, operative connections between the clutch controllinglevers and-the duct valve controlling levers, and means for actuatingany selected one of the clutch controlling levers. I

21. A piano player mechanism including a series of independentplayer'units each of which is provided with its own music sheet and ductbridge, independent driving elements for the player units, normally inoperative clutches controlling the driving 'elements, clutch controllinglevers having an operative connection with the clutches,'normally.closed duct closing valves for the duct bridges,- levers controlling theduct closing valves, operative connections between the said levers andthe corresponding clu'tchcontrolling levers, detents for engaging theclutch controlling levers to hold'the same,

operative position, means for actuating any selected one of the clutchcontrolling levers,

and means actuated by the movement of any one of the'clutch controllinglevers for releasing the detents of all of the remainingclutchcontrolling levers.

22. A piano player mechanism-including a seriesof independent playerunits in operative position at all times each of which is. provided withits own note sheet and duct bridge, independentflpneumatics for thevarious player. units, means actuated by each of the pneumatics forthrowing the particular player unit into action and shutting ofl any ofthe other player units which may have been previously in action, andselective means for controlling the pneumaties.

28'; A piano player mechanism including a s ies ofindependent playerunits, independent pneumatics for the various player units, meansactuated by each of the pneuniatics for throwing the particular playerunit'into actionand rendering all of'the other player Ill'lltSinoperative, individual pipes leading to the neumatics, valves for theindividual pipes, electro-magnets controlling the valves, and selectivemeans for energizing the electro-magnets.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses. FRED R. GOOLMAN. Witnesses:

O. R. DANIELS, J. R. DENOYELLES.

pipes leading to the neumatics, valves for the said individual pipes,and selective means for controlling the said valves.

24. A piano player mechanism including 5 a series of independent playervunits, independent pneumatics for the various player units, meansactuated by each of the'pneuinatics for throwing the particular playerunit into action and rendering all of the 10 other player unitsinoperative, individual Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. 0."

